Berean Standard Bible
Judges 9:31
31So he covertly sent messengers to Abimelech1 to say, “Look, Gaal son of Ebed and his brothers have come to Shechem and are stirring up2 the city against you.
Judges 9:31 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And he sent messengers unto Abimelech privily, saying, Behold, Gaal the son of Ebed and his brethren be come to Shechem; and, behold, they fortify the city against thee.
- New International Version (NIV)Under cover he sent messengers to Abimelek, saying, “Gaal son of Ebed and his clan have come to Shechem and are stirring up the city against you.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And he sent messengers to Abimelech secretly, saying, "Behold, Gaal the son of Ebed and his relatives have come to Shechem, and they are stirring up the city against you.
- New King James Version (NKJV)And he sent messengers to Abimelech secretly, saying, “Take note! Gaal the son of Ebed and his brothers have come to Shechem; and here they are, fortifying the city against you.
Context of Judges 9:31
29If only this people were under my authority, I would remove Abimelech; I would say to him, ‘Muster your army and come out!’” 30When Zebul the governor of the city heard the words of Gaal son of Ebed, he burned with anger. So he covertly sent messengers to Abimelech to say, “Look, Gaal son of Ebed and his brothers have come to Shechem and are stirring up the city against you. 32Now then, tonight you and the people with you are to come and lie in wait in the fields. 33And in the morning at sunrise, get up and advance against the city. When Gaal and his men come out against you, do to them whatever you are able.”
Read all of Judges 9Judges 9:31 word by word
וַיִּשְׁלַ֧ח מַלְאָכִ֛ים אֶל־אֲבִימֶ֖לֶךְ בְּתָרְמָ֣ה לֵאמֹ֑ר הִנֵּה֩ גַ֨עַל בֶּן־עֶ֤בֶד וְאֶחָיו֙ בָּאִ֣ים שְׁכֶ֔מָה וְהִנָּ֛ם צָרִ֥ים אֶת־הָעִ֖יר עָלֶֽיךָ׃Read the interlinear
- So he covertly sentשָׁלַחshâlach · to send: departH7971
- So he covertly sentתׇּרְמָהtormâh tarmûth tarmîyth · treacheryH8649
- messengersמַלְאָךְmal'âk · messengerH4397
- toאֶל'êl 'el · to(wards)H413
- Abimelechאֲבִימֶ֫לֶךְ'ăbîymelek · AbimelechH40
- to sayאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- Lookהִנֵּהhinnêh · beholdH2009
- Gaalגַּ֫עַלga‛al · GaalH1603
- sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
- of Ebedעֶ֫בֶד‛ebed · EbedH5651
- and his brothersאָח'âch · brother: male-relativeH251
- have comeבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
- to Shechemשְׁכֶםshekem · ShechemH7927
- and are stirring upצוּרtsûr · to confineH6696
- ·אֵת'êth · [Obj.]H853
- the cityעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
- against youעַל‛al · uponH5921
Commentaries on Judges 9:31
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 31They fortify the city against thee - Under pretense of repairing the walls and towers, they were actually putting the place in a state of defense, intending to seize on the government as soon as they should find Abimelech coming against them. Fortifying the city may mean seducing the inhabitants from their loyalty to Abimelech.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 31Privily - See the margin. The word is probably the name of a place in “Tormah”, some think the same as “Arumah” Judges 9:41. Zebul was faithful to Abimelech, but dissembled his sentiments, from being too weak to oppose Gaal, until Abimelech came with his army Judges 9:38.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 30-49Verses 30-49 Abimelech intended to punish the Schechemites for slighting him now, but God punished them for their serving him formerly in the murder of Gideon's sons. When God uses men as instruments in his hand to do his work, he means one thing, and they another. That, which they hoped would have been for their welfare, proved a snare and a trap, as those will certainly find, who run to idols for shelter; such will prove a refuge of lies. (Jdg 9:50-57)Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 30-41The second plot, like the first (Judges 9:22–25), was stopped by an informer, likely an official appointed by the absent Abimelech. Zebul suggested a bold morning ambush, planning to lure Gaal and his followers into the open country for a confrontation. The plan succeeded. Due to his boasting and possibly Zebul’s mocking challenge, Gaal and his men ventured out, only to be driven from town by the loyal Zebul, who acted to cleanse the city.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 28-4528-45. would to God this people were under my hand--He seems to have been a boastful, impudent, and cowardly person, totally unfit to be a leader in a revolutionary crisis. The consequence was that he allowed himself to be drawn into an ambush, was defeated, the city of Shechem destroyed and strewn with salt. The people took refuge in the stronghold, which was set on fire, and all in it perished.Read the comment
Topics related to Judges 9:31
In the dictionaries
Notes
Commentaries on Judges 9
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- Darby Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
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